


A Grateful Heart

by themacerlife



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Crushes, F/F, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Holidays, One Shot, Toni's favorite holiday, but very little angst, holiday fluff, the gang's all here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 08:45:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16301900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themacerlife/pseuds/themacerlife
Summary: Toni's favorite holiday doesn't go according to plan while she is also managing a crush on Cheryl Blossom. The Thanksgiving oneshot nobody asked for...





	A Grateful Heart

Toni Topaz was excited.

No, she was _ecstatic,_ and impatient. Her favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, was this Thursday and the moment Kevin Keller suggested she plan a festive gathering for their friend group, that’s all she has been able to think about.

____________________________________

“Ronnie, I appreciate you indulging with me, but I requested your help because you have an eye for interior design, not because you’re good at texting your fiancé nonstop.”

Veronica Lodge sighed and slipped her phone into her purse.

“Sorry, Toni. Archikens is feeling guilty that he isn’t spending Thanksgiving with his family and I am trying to convince him that traveling back to Riverdale for 24 hours is not efficient. Besides, you all are our family too.”

Toni smiled fondly and tossed a few autumn scented candles into her shopping cart.

“I promise I’ll make this worth it for you all. It _is_ the best day of the year, after all!”

Veronica chuckled and pushed the cart down the aisle of the home décor store.  

“You are simply adorable when you get like this. I would’ve thought a greedy holiday like Christmas or birthdays would be a Serpent’s favorite holiday.”

Toni shrugged and grabbed an obnoxious fake scarecrow. As Veronica followed behind and slipped it back onto the shelf, the smaller woman rambled on, “Thanksgiving is such a stress-free holiday! What’s not to like? You get to stuff yourself and watch endless television and hang out with people you care about. It’s marvelous!”

Veronica’s perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose as she teased, “Marvelous? I’d say you’ve been spending a little too much time with a certain redhead, eh, Topaz?”

The Serpent blushed almost immediately but covered it up with a scoff, “You mean Cheryl? Nah, she’s been super busy with work lately. You know that.”

“Mhmm, I also know that the two of you are smitten and are doing nothing about it.”

Toni suddenly took a sharp right, calling out, “Look! Pumpkins!”

____________________________________

Fate had intervened in the lives of the Riverdale High alums. Most had left and gone to college, others had traveled and a few had headed straight into the workforce. Years later, they had all ended up in the same state and found each other, closer than ever before. Yes, a few Serpents are included in that group.

While Veronica had been signed up to help with the decorations for her holiday extravaganza, Fangs Fogarty was recruited for the food. Toni had made Thanksgiving feasts with much less than what she could afford now, but she needed his help lifting the large frozen turkey in and out of the car.

____________________________________

“Tiny, do we really need 20 pounds of potatoes?”

“Yes, Fangs! There are going to be so many of us and I know you and Pea could eat half of that by yourselves.”

“You’re right. Who are the sweet potatoes for? I thought someone else was making the yams?”

“Oh, they’re for Cheryl. She doesn’t like regular potatoes, so I was going to make her a modified version of mashed potatoes.”

Fangs’ jaw dropped and Toni rolled her eyes. “What?”

“Oh, nothing… just recognizing the fact that I’m the one in a committed relationship but you’re the one who is whipped.”

Toni threw an onion at her longtime best friend, “I’m not whipped, just considerate. And don’t tell me whose whipped when you’re the one going to the town over to get that special ice cream for Kevin.”

Fangs shrugged beneath his worn leather jacket, “I’m not the one chasing after the self-proclaimed untamable vixen.”

“You’re so dramatic, _gosh_!”

As Fangs laughed and headed for the seasonings, Toni ran a hand through her hair and muttered to herself, “She never said that, either.”

____________________________________

It was now Tuesday and Toni was avoiding one of the biggest items on her to-do list: cleaning.

“You know, TT, the sooner you finish cleaning, the sooner you can come see that new movie with me.”

Toni was laying upside down on her couch, her short legs hanging over the back and her head almost touching the floor as she smiled at Cheryl’s fourth attempt to get her to clean.

“True, but there will always be another showing.”

“Maybe I won’t be able to make another showing. Don’t make me come over there, Topaz.”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re mistaken, Blossom. I _want_ you to come over.”

She heard Cheryl’s heart-stopping laughter on the other end of the phone and bit her lip. Dammit, she really is smitten.

“If I come over, you definitely won’t get anything done. We’ll end up binge watching HGTV like always.”

“But I miss you, Cher. We haven’t hung out in forever!”

“I know, TT. I’m sorry, but I’ll see you all day Thursday. Want me to sleep over to make up for it?”

Toni pulled herself upright and paused before releasing a dramatic sigh, “I guess…”

There it was again, that _laugh_ , and Toni applauded herself.

“Alright, I’ll see you on Thursday, okay? Now, go clean.”

“Ugh, fine. Bye, Cher.”

“Bye, TT.”

____________________________________

On Tuesday night, Jughead and Betty came over to help Toni get a head start on desserts.

“Jug, I appreciate the help but you need to roll out the dough, not beat the shit out of it.”

Betty snorted, “We should have kept him on oven duty.”

The Serpent leader huffed, “All I did was watch the timer.”

Toni and Betty glanced at each other and giggled in unison, “Exactly.”

Jughead tossed the rolling pin down and scratched at his nose that was covered in flour.

“Why are you even doing all of this, Toni? We would all be happy with store bought desserts.”

Toni looked personally offended by the thought. “Thanksgiving is the absolute best day of the year! Everyone knows that besides the turkey, the pies are the best part.”

Betty leaned over to not-so-quietly whisper in her fiancé’s ear, “Cheryl doesn’t eat processed sugar.”

With a smirk, Jughead tossed a cookie cutter at Toni, “So the truth comes out…”

Toni groaned, “Why does everyone keep talking about Cheryl? She’s not the only one coming invited to Thanksgiving. Sweet Pea, Fangs and Kevin, Josie and her boyfriend, you two, Veronica and Archie…”

With a laugh, Betty grabbed one of Toni’s hands that was counting off the guest list, “We know who’s coming, Toni, we’re just teasing you. And, for the record, Cheryl was telling me this morning how excited she is to be with you on Thanksgiving.”

Ignoring the flutter in her stomach, Toni mumbled, “To be with _all_ of us, you mean.”

Her phone rang and Toni stepped aside to answer as Betty tried to help Jughead roll out the dough properly.

When she returned to the messy kitchen island, she sighed, “Well, that’s one less pie we need to make. Veronica and Archie can’t make it anymore. They are heading back to Riverdale.”

Betty smiled softly, “Sorry, Toni. I should have warned you Veronica was probably going to cave. But, hey, we’re still going to have a great bunch.”

Toni forced herself to smile and grabbed another rolling pin, “You’re right, Cooper. Let’s finish the pumpkin pies so we can make a pecan one.”

____________________________________

By Wednesday afternoon, Toni’s home was covered from top to bottom in everything autumn. Reds, oranges and yellows covered every inch and cliché pumpkins, apples and hay bales were on every perch she could find.

By Wednesday afternoon, Toni was already setting her alarms for 5 am the next morning to make sure she could pop the turkey in the oven before the Thanksgiving parade.

By Wednesday afternoon, Toni was dialing Cheryl’s number because she forgot a very important part of the dinner: alcohol.

“Have no fear, TT. I will stop by the liquor store when I get off work.”

“Thank you, Cher, you’re a hero.”

“Toni… what’s wrong? This time last year, you were bouncing off the walls from excitement. I told you I can come help tonight or early tomorrow if it’s too much…”

“No, Cher, it’s not that. Everyone has already been a big help. It’s just… well, Veronica and Archie told me last night they couldn’t make it and Josie just called to say she can’t because of work. Sweet Pea is sending me texts saying he think he has a stomach thing so I don’t think he’ll make it either.”

“Aww, I’m sorry, TT. After all that work you’ve been doing…”

“It’s okay, Cher. It’s still Thanksgiving, right? There will still be enough of us together to call it a party. And I still get to see you?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I have to go but call me if you need anything else.”

“Will do, Bombshell. Bye.”

____________________________________

Her alarm went off exactly at 5:01 am and Toni nearly leapt out of bed.

It was finally here!

You know the feeling of waking up on Christmas morning? Or when the fireworks go off on the 4th of July? That moment when the last candle is lit on the menorah or when the ball drops on New Year’s Eve?

 _That_ was how Toni was feeling as she slipped on her knit turkey sweater and leggings, sliding into the kitchen in her turkey socks and getting to work.

Fast forward a few hours and Toni was absolutely exhausted.

The parade was nearing its end and the turkey was finally in the oven. The table had been set and the desserts were ready to be cut but Toni was alone.

Kevin’s grandmother had a stroke that morning and Fangs went with him to support the Keller family. Sweet Pea was, in fact, puking his guts out and Betty and Jughead were stuck in a traffic from a major accident on their way back from an early Thanksgiving with the Coopers.

Yup, fate had intervened yet again and Toni Topaz was alone on her favorite holiday.

The timer went off on the turkey and as she hauled the massive bird out of the oven, Toni swallowed her tears. She wasn’t going to cry, not on Thanksgiving.

Her phone was silent and the noise of the parade had died down. The only sound in her apartment was the crackling of a few candles that she had lit on the dining room table.

____________________________________

When someone knocked on her front door, Toni visibly jumped. She took a deep breath and trudged over to the door.

Once she pulled it open, her jaw dropped at the sight.

“TT, you should know by now that when _I_ knock, I expect a prompt answer.”

Cheryl Blossom was standing on her porch, with a teasing smirk on her red lips and a bottle of champagne in her hand.

“Cher, what? You’re here!”

“I told you I wouldn’t miss this and, I brought some indulgences. There is more in my car but a text from Cousin Betty told me we may only need one bottle?”

Toni’s shoulders dropped again and her gaze fell to her turkey socks.

“Um, yeah, no one could make it… It’s just me.”

Cheryl took a step into Toni’s home and used her finger and thumb to gently grip Toni’s chin, encouraging her to look up.

“It will never be ‘just you,’ TT. We may not be able to eat even half of the food you cooked but we can try. And, I know they do a repeat of the parade at the top of the hour. How about it, Topaz? Want to do this holiday right?”

Toni thought her cheeks might explode from the smile that spread across her face. She pulled Cheryl inside and shut out the cool autumn air.

____________________________________

As the day dragged into the evening, a few more guests arrived at Toni’s house and they barged into the living room ready to feast.

What they found was the leftovers of a Thanksgiving well spent. Empty plates and dishes were spread out on the coffee table as the first Christmas movie played on the TV. Sprawled out on the couch, Toni was snuggled into Cheryl’s body, their legs tangled together. An empty champagne bottle was on the floor next to the couch.

Kevin whispered to Fangs, Jughead and Betty, “Should we tell Veronica and Archie to turn back to Riverdale? This is too cute to interrupt.”  

Fangs showed Kevin his phone with photo evidence of the scene and smirked, “Nah, we still have a few hours left in the day. I intend to make sure Toni has the best Thanksgiving.”

Even as Jughead scoffed, “I think she already did,” Fangs made his way over and threw his body on the couch to wake the women up.

Once she was coherent, Toni tried to return to party planner mode, but Cheryl pulled her back down and directed everyone to help themselves.

As the crew filled their plates, Cheryl brushed some stray hairs from Toni’s still sleepy face and whispered lovingly, “Well, TT, how is your Thanksgiving going?”

Toni thought back to the hours spent cuddling and _kissing_ Cheryl before they fell asleep and positively beamed.

She pushed herself up a little to press yet another kiss against Cheryl’s lips and smiled, “Still my favorite holiday.”


End file.
